The present invention relates to a shoe providing an integral ankle support and pertains, more particularly, to an athletic or activity shoe providing ankle support and protection for a wearer's talofibular and talotibial joints from external and internal rotation. The shoe of this invention is an improvement over the conventional ankle tape, elastic tape, and ankle braces.
An ankle joint consists of three bones (the tibia fibula, and talus) united by several ligamentous structure, the bone and ligament combination providing ankle joint motion in three planes while still providing a relatively stable joint. A weakness inherent in the motion of the ankle joint stems from the capability of the ankle joint to move in any of the three planes.
Ankle sprains are the most frequent injury to the lower extremity below the knee. A major cause of ankle injuries relates to movement of the talofibular and talotibial joint, more particularly, an internal and external rotation about these joints. It is proposed that an ankle sprain could be caused as a result of a lower portion of a foot remaining stationary and the tibia and fibula sustaining a forced rotation in either an internal or an external fashion causing ligaments about the ankle joint to tear.
With the conventional ankle supporting methods and devices it is generally viewed necessary to protect against ankle injury by supporting and protecting the ankle and in particualr to restrict ankle joint motion in any unintended direction. This is the general accepted purpose behind the practice of taping ankles, wrapping ankles in elastic tape, or providing some form of an ankle brace to be worn alone or in conjunction with a shoe. These conventional ankle braces are typically constructed using rigid shell-like or support members attached to a shoe outer surface or to the leg and ankle of the wearer. Some of these braces are actually intended primarily as a shin or ankle guard; or stiffening members inserted into interior pockets formed on the inside surface of the portion of the shoe upper covering the ankle or stiffeners in a sock-like brace with straps further binding the shoe upper or brace around the ankle. Conventional braces may also be considered to include the variety of rigid orthopedic clamps worn either separately or with or as part of a specially constructed shoe, rigid foot plate or sole. Furthermore, it is known to incorporate air-inflatable devices or air bags into the conventional ankle supports and related devices.
Accordingly, is an object of the present invention to provide a shoe with an integral ankle support that is adapted to control internal and external rotation of a rear portion of a wearer's foot.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with an integral ankle support that has a construction intended to impede or prohibit internal and external rotation of the rear portion of the foot about the talofibular and talotibial joint. With the shoe construction of this invention it is desired to limit the indicated rotation in a manner not effectively accomplished by conventional constructions.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with an integral ankle support internally connected or associated with the shoe for providing support to the ankle and prohibiting as much as possible the talofibular and the talotibial joints from undergoing external and internal rotation.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with an integral ankle support that is constructed to provide opposing braces individually attached to the shoe and a lower portion of a heel cup of the shoe. The brace arrangement of this invention provides for free anterior and posterior brace rotating or pivoting.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with a integral ankle support constructed from generally rigid thermoplastic material.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with an integral ankle support including and ankle brace attachment and adjustment strap system. The shoe of this invention incorporates adjustable straps effectively joining the brace members, including an anterior strap across the ankle. The straps may include and adjustable anterior strap for compressing the brace members and a distal lower portion of the brace members hinged for pivoting movement relative to the shoe. Thus, this invention provides a shoe and brace system combination providing means for limiting eversion and inversion and internal and external rotation of the tibia and fibula while allowing full-range motion in the dorsi and planter flexion plane.